Senator Linda Reynolds's Testimony Questioned in Court

Senator Linda Reynolds's testimony in the defamation case against her former staffer Brittany Higgins has been called into question. Higgins's lawyer, Rachael Young SC, argued that Reynolds was an unreliable witness who failed to answer questions and whose testimony was more like advocacy.

The case revolves around social media posts made by Higgins last year that Reynolds took offense to. These posts were made four years after Higgins was raped in Reynolds's parliamentary office by her colleague Bruce Lehrmann. Lehrmann was found to have raped Higgins in civil proceedings earlier this year, although he has always denied it.

Young argued that Reynolds did not always believe Higgins had been raped, contrary to what she had repeatedly claimed. She cited Reynolds's statements to News Corp journalist Samantha Maiden, her interview with Channel 7's Spotlight, and her lawyer's opening address as evidence of this.

Young also accused Reynolds of trying to cast doubt on Higgins's credibility by raising the issue of Lehrmann buying her a coffee the day after the sexual assault. She argued that this was an attempt to smear Higgins and suggest the rape did not happen.

While acknowledging that Reynolds had suffered in the wake of the rape allegations, Young emphasized that the heaviest burden had been carried by Higgins. She described Higgins as "the survivor of a serious crime which has affected every aspect of her life, including serious impacts on her mental health."

Young argued that Higgins had spoken out about her ordeal "for an altruistic purpose" and not to harass or defame Reynolds. She also highlighted the lasting impact Higgins's actions have had on addressing gendered violence and safety issues in Australian workplaces.

Young further argued that Reynolds had harassed Higgins, not the other way around. She cited Reynolds's actions, such as disputing the merit of Higgins's compensation payment, leaking details of the settlement to a journalist, and giving an interview in which she questioned the veracity of Higgins's rape allegation.

Young also claimed that Reynolds was trying to sue Higgins for events that happened years before the contentious social media posts were published. She argued that Reynolds had "besmirched those she blamed for her political demise" and that her reputational damage was "baked in" by July 2023.

The hearings are scheduled to finish on Wednesday, when Justice Paul Tottle will retire to consider his verdict.